NEW DELHI: The North Delhi Municipal Corporation has initiated work on its mega project for installing solar power rooftop plants at 30 model schools, four hospitals and four zonal office buildings. The project will help the north corporation save at least 4,300 units of electricity every day.

The civic agency has already given the task to Indraprastha Power Generation Company Limited, a Delhi government’s public sector undertaking (PSU), for installing solar roof top plants at 30 school buildings, while the cost of the project will be incurred by the north corporation.

“Since we get funds from Centre under the planning head in education sector every year, it has been decided to use a portion of fund to install these solar plants. In 30 schools, we will install a plant each, with capacity of one megawatt in all. These will help civic agency to save 3,000 units of electricity every month through net metering,” said Veena Virmani, standing committee chairperson, north corporation.

With net metering, excess electricity generated will be sent back to the grid and the north corporation will be charged for the difference between electricity consumed and electricity sent back.

As for the installation of solar panels at Balakram, Kasturba, Rajan Babu Infectious Disease and Girdhari Lal Maternity hospitals, north corporation plans to install solar panels of 150, 30, 50 and 40 kilowatt capacity through Renewable Energy Service Company (RESCO) model.

“A private company will invest money in installing the plants and regular maintenance work for certain time period. The corporation will only provide the space or rooftop. The company will supply electricity produced through solar plants at minimum rates. In our case, the company will provide electricity at lowest rate (Rs 3.99 per kilowatt) for 25 years,” said an corporation official.

At the zonal office building in Keshavpuram, Rajpura Road, Narela and Karol Bagh, solar plants of 30, 70, 45 and 20 kilowatt capacity will also be installed under RESCO model.

Official said that work will start at these sites as soon as model code of conduct gets over. “The work is expected to complete by end of June,” said the official.